Among regiol parties, AIUDF got largest dotion

Parties issuing coupons to collect uccounted cash dotions, says Association of Democratic Reforms

BY Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, March 10: In the last decade, the AIUDF received the highest amount of dotions among three regiol parties in the State.

The party received Rs 4.24 crore during the period 2004-2015, compared to BPF’s Rs 2.4 crore and AGP’s Rs 1.08 crore.

Political parties are required to submit annual details of donors who have made dotions above Rs 20,000 in a fincial year to the Election Commission of India.

Star Cement has been AGP’s highest donor, with a contribution of Rs 10 lakh.

AIUDF has received Rs 65 lakh from one Sukhbir Singh Sahani, while the Ajmal brothers have contributed Rs 3 lakh each.

BPF has received Rs 20 lakh from one Moniram Brahma.

However, according to Association of Democratic Reforms, only 10 per cent of the total dotions received by political parties are from known sources.

Apart from collecting dotions or voluntary contributions, it is seen from the income tax returns of political parties that some political parties are using a ‘coupon system’ for collecting funds. They issue coupons in lieu of receipts to donors for cash contributions.

Being cash dotions, it becomes all the more difficult to establish the identity of the donor. This implies that a lot of cash dotions received remain uccounted for in the books of accounts as only those amounts would be recorded for which a receipt has been issued.  Of the major sources of income, sale of coupons has been listed by most of the major political parties.

Among the tiol parties, the Congress has received dotions amounting to Rs 3,388 crore during the period, while the BJP has got Rs 2,302 crore.

The Congress has received Rs 5.7 crore from 222 donors from the Northeast during the period.

Among the major Congress donors from the Northeast are one H Lyngdoh (Rs 66 lakh), Topcem Cement (Rs 50 lakh) and Cement Manufacturing Company Limited (Rs 30 lakh).

Gadi Agro Pvt Ltd is BJP’s highest donor from Northeast at Rs 39.9 lakh. The CMCL has contributed Rs 10 lakh while SM Corporation has doted Rs 5 lakh to the BJP.